Reading this passage, what popped into my head was a scene from my early youth – in Sunday School (or was it VBS?). We were taught this little song:
Building up the Temple Building up the temple, Building up the temple. Building up the temple of the Lord. Brother, won’t you help me? Sister, won’t you help me? Building up the temple of the Lord.
We did it complete with hand gestures, of fist upon fist as building stones and then waving to “brothers and sisters” to come and help. It’s a sweet memory.
Now the artificial division between the end of 1 Kings 6 and the beginning of 7 tends to soften what is at first a jarring consideration. Solomon takes 7 years to build the Temple, but thirteen years to build his own palace? What’s going on here?
As for what the actual reasons are for the disparity – who knows? One commentator chalks it up to 2 factors; a. Solomon felt more urgency and importance in building the Lord’s House, thus finishing it first as a priority, and b., since the palace encompassed both Solomon’s residence and the complex for the seat of government – it was much larger and wasn’t as urgent.
Again – who knows? We’ll give Sol the benefit of the doubt.
But perhaps there is something of a type or shadow here too?
Creating the heavens and the earth was but a 6 day affair for our God; which contained the Garden, His first “Temple”.
Think then how long Christ has been about the work of building His own house through the making and assembling the living stones redeemed by His blood.
It is a much more monumental and glorious task to build His Church as His dwelling place than to create the cosmos.
What then is this “building” He is assembling to dwell in? And no wonder when Paul prays in Eph. 3:16-17 he notes that it requires nothing less than the glorious efforts of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in our inner man so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith.
The unbearable weight of the glory of His presence must be supernaturally granted. We cannot stand it in ourselves. How much time, care and divine craftsmanship is being exercised in this great assemblage.
1 Peter 2:4-5 “As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
He is taking his time with us beloved. For the glory we are to so fully contain, is indeed, uncontainable – and beyond description. “In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3
6 Days of creation, thousands of years for his house. And Christ is faithful as the son over God’s house – whose house we are if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast. He who began the good work in us – WILL complete it!
Some passages of Scripture fulfill this role – the role of busting myths. And one of the best myth-busting passages I know is 2 Corinthians 1:8-9: “We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.”
What myth is thoroughly busted here? The myth that “God will never give us more than we can handle.”
In truth, God is forever giving us things we are ill equipped to handle. And as Paul notes here for us, that reality is found in the words in our text: “in order that.” So that.
Let me try to tease this out just a bit more.
In the opening portions of 2 Corinthians, Paul is wont to be sure his readers grasp just how traumatic and severe some of his trials have been. He says exactly that in vs. 8. He wanted them to be fully aware of the hardships he and his companions had encountered. Why? Because he is demonstrating what he had opened this letter by affirming – that Christians endure trials (if for no other reason – than) specifically that we might become conduits of God’s comforts to others, by sharing with them the comforts God has extended toward us in our trials.
And here, is where the rubber really meets the road for Paul.
We want you to know how tough it has been.
Things were so tough at one point, we assumed we would not make it through, but would actually die.
We actually gave up anticipating any relief.
And we came to that place for at least the following 3 reasons:
1 – So that we would learn not to trust in ourselves – in our wisdom, gifts, abilities or even our sense of mission. Not even to trust in our own faith.
2 – So that we might trust in God alone. To surrender any hope of anything or anybody being able to deliver us.
3 – So that we would consider the day of resurrection the real and final object of our help – not temporal relief. That we might become conduits forced to look to the glories to come, more than at the difficulties of the day.
And beloved, I cannot think of anything more necessary for us today in the Body of Christ, than to let our trials have their perfect work in weaning us away from the hopes of this life and this world – so as to (as Peter would later wrote): “Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13, BSB)
To live in the awareness that if nothing changes for the better now, our hope is still inviolable and fixed – it is in the resurrection – in the revelation of Jesus Christ at his return.
This is what Paul and Peter had set their hearts and minds to grasp and live upon when all other hopes were lost.
Christ is coming.
Resurrection is coming.
The New Heavens and the New Earth are coming.
Glory is coming.
The fullness of all of Christ’s promises are coming.
I may not feel it today.
My vision may not allow me to glimpse it today.
But I can believe it and rest in it today – because my Redeemer, the one who died to purchase my soul with his own blood said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1–3, BSB)
I just finished the audio version (unedited). And for the first time, I found I would have rather had the print version of a book. Why? Because this unedited version contains so much extraneous and tedious data, that in print at least – I could have skipped over mountains of unimportant stuff.
That all said, there is much profit to be had in reading the account of this most remarkable man of God, and how God used him in the most extraordinary of ways. Wesley stood at the very center of God’s miraculous outpouring in the 1700’s in the British Isles as no one else. And that is saying something given the other luminaries and extraordinary men like his own brother Charles, George Whitefield and others. He was a man wholly given up to God (as best he could be it seems) and was uniquely suited to spearhead the Methodist movement within the Anglican communion. For make no mistake, he considered himself a life-long Anglican and in league with the Church of England.
Because of the nature of a personal journal, I cannot review this book in terms of logic, flow of arguments, etc. But what I can do is list out a number of features which stood out. Some curious, some inspiring, some challenging and some – I’m not sure what to call them.
1 – JW’s own account of his conversion is useful. Seeing how God worked in him after his miserable experience as a missionary to America while as yet unconverted, is painful to say the least. He is such an earnest man and so wanting to serve God. As Prov. 19:2a reads: “Even zeal is no good without knowledge.” A theme Paul reiterates in Rom. 10:2 regarding the Pharisees of his day. JW was a Protestant Pharisee. Not in terms of pride or arrogance, but in terms of an assiduous pursuit of Protestant Biblicalism, but as yet unregenerate. Until God opened his eyes. A Protestant religionist of the highest order – with a discipline of life that would put most “born again” Christians to shame. Unregenerate Christianity is one of the severest forms of soul slavery.
2 – JW’s Mother is often held up as the model of a godly woman. But as we find out, all of her years of raising her children, (19 in all though only 6 made it to adulthood) were done while still unconverted. She too was this type of Pharisee until much later. Christianized to the highest degree – but without saving grace having changed her soul.
3 – Excepting for several serious bouts of illness in his younger years, JW was almost completely free of physical maladies of any kind. His physical constitution was more than mere iron. It almost seems superhuman. Perhaps he was supernaturally sustained for the work he was to do. It wasn’t until he was in his 80’s that he began to notice some decline. But even then – always felt strong after preaching.
It is interesting to note he refers to his strength and stamina quite often, and usually chalks it up to (after acknowledging God’s goodness) these key things:
a. He rose at 4 every morning. This he said was most profitable.
b. That he typically preached almost every day at 5 am. This too was key he thought. And yes, there were crowds all the time.
c. That he rode on horseback seldom less than 4000 miles per year. Sometimes much more. This he said kept him hale and hearty due to being outdoors in all kinds of weather.
d. He ate quite sparingly. Never starving himself but never over-indulging either. He mentions at one point that when younger he subsisted almost entirely on bread and water for quite a period – and not all that much bread. He said this made for a heartier constitution later.
He also mentioned a curious trait that he appreciated – that he could fall immediately to sleep whenever he wished, and never had any trouble sleeping no matter where or under what circumstances.
Additionally, he records that he could not remember ever being in angst about anything above one time, just once, for about 15 minutes. That he simply did not fret or worry – ever. Period. God bless him!
4 – He read very broadly – and constantly. While he did most of his reading while on horseback (he notes how leaving the reins slack allowed him to pay attention to his book – for the horse knew what to do) – he read books on geology, astronomy, government, philosophy, history and biography and many other subjects. He read the classics, poetry, and plays and fiction.
On the last, he attended plays as well. And remarked how those authored by “Christian” writers tended to be of less quality than those of unbelievers – and that the unbelievers often made moral points in a better fashion.
He notes two occasions, one with horses and another with lions in a sort of zoo – where he observed the animals responding to music in a curious way. He mused, but drew no conclusions.
5 – As he traveled, preaching sometimes 3 times a day, he also took time to go sight-seeing when in places with notable things to visit.
6 – He is not given nearly enough credit as a scholar. Writing a both Greek and Hebrew grammars and lessons of all sorts for people of all stripes. He wanted his people to be as well educated as he could contribute to.
7 – In setting up his Methodist “societies” he showed himself to be an organizational genius. The sheer number of the various “houses” (he didn’t like the term meeting places) he either built, instigated, oversaw and regulated is mind boggling. He knew how to choose good people to administrate them and kept abreast of what was going on in virtually all of them.
8 – He loved scientific advancement, and especially where it had medical applications. An up-and-coming trend in his day was what was called “electrifying.” People would be connected to generators producing a small current which was supposed to help restore the body’s own healing properties and relieve almost any ailment. Having used it frequently himself (for minor complaints) he saw to it at least four of these generators were procured and placed around England where some of his people could operate them. He felt strongly the Church should make such curatives available to the public and encouraged the leaders of the Methodist houses to talk up the treatment, and make it available to as many as wanted to avail themselves of it. Likewise, he investigated and employed other homeopathic remedies.
9 – He seemed to hold no grudges of any kind against any individual, no matter how they had treated him. If it may be put this way – he loved forgiving.
10 – When told that another well know preacher remarked how every minister ought to burn his old sermons every 7 years so as to write better ones now that they were older, more learned and more experienced – he balked. He said (this was when he was well into his 70’s) that he would never go back for all of his sermons were just fine, and that he had never changed his mind on a single doctrine or point since he was a young man, and could see no sense in the other preacher’s recommendation.
On that note, as he often mentions which text he preached from on a particular day – you find that he must have preached the same sermons not just dozens, but perhaps hundreds of times over the years. This can work when you are itinerate, but as we all know – would not work if you were preaching to the same congregation week in and week out.
11 – He always saw Methodism as an in-house movement of the Anglican Church. At the annual meetings or conferences, whenever the issue of separation from the Church of England came up – he vigorously opposed it. He died an Anglican and said that he fully held and was committed to its doctrines from the beginning. Except when the Church censured him for preaching out of doors or praying extemporaneously, he believed he kept to the governance of the Church in all respects.
12 – He quite adamantly opposed America’s Revolutionary War as rebellion that ought not to be sanctioned.
13 – Happy-hyperbole. Over and over and over, if something was beautiful or striking, it was the “most glorious I ever saw”, or, “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in all of my travels.” etc., etc., ad infinitum. If it was pleasant, it was the MOST pleasant. And if it bad – it was “the worst I ever saw.” But far and away, this hyperbole was used to express his being impressed by beauty, symmetry, architectural design, and orderliness.
14 – Lastly, and perhaps most markedly and wonderful, was his thankfulness to God. And this, in an interesting juxtaposition. For example, (both of these examples are factual in the book and occur more than once) say his horse stumbled and then recovered. He would immediately praise and thank God for his good fortune and being able to continue on his way to minister. But say the horse stumbled and died unexpectedly – interrupting his plans. He would simply accept this as the providence of God with no negative connotations whatever. Constant thankfulness, and calm, even joyful acceptance of darker (in our opinion) providences.
I can only guess that this is why he was so bereft of worry, anxiety and stress. He saw God’s loving hand everywhere – and deliberately and consistently thanks God accordingly. And, he so trusted his loving Savior, that those things which could be perceived as negatives, he still believed were in his Master’s hand and were to be received in faith.
One stunning example of that latter, is the very brief note he pens when his wife abandons him. He simply says, it happened, he will not act in any way upon it. He will not chase her. I’m not sure in that instance if his norm was the best – but he was consistent in it in any case. And I wish to be more like him in the every day realities of my own life.
Thank God constantly. Set an eye to appreciate every good thing his hand has proffered. And if the providence is a hard one – know that same, constantly and unerringly loving and wise God, is superintending that as well.
No, I cannot recommend you read the nearly 500 pages of this book. But, there are giant gems in this mine. And I am sure someone else somewhere has already done that digging for you.
The concept is found throughout the Bible. Perhaps its simplest articulation is in Deut. 29:29 – “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.”
But one place where we get this principle I’ve dubbed – Manoahism – fleshed out, is in Judges chapter 13.
The story of Samson is legendary, even outside of the Bible. But the back-story is full of its own revelations and in need of consideration. Not the least of which occurs when the Angel of The Lord appears to Manoah (soon to be Samson’s father) and Samson’s mother.
You’ll recall that this Angel appears to Manoah’s wife (she is never named in the text) and tells her that even though she has been barren, she is about to conceive and bear a son.
The good woman runs home to tell her husband Manoah all that the Angel had said. Of special note is how the Angel instructed her to refrain from all wine, strong drink or eating anything unclean. The reason for this regimen was due to the fact the boy to be born was to be a Nazirite from the very get go.
If you didn’t know, the Mosaic Law made provision for any who would feel so moved, to take a special vow of service to the Lord. (See: Numbers 6) This was called a “Nazirite” vow. With this single exception, Nazirite vows were completely voluntary. And among other things, during the duration of the vow – the one vowing had to refrain from wine, strong drink, even grapes and raisins until the period of the vow expired. Oh yeah, and they could not cut their hair during this period either.
Continuing with the narrative: After filling Manoah in on her angelic encounter, Manoah then prays to the Lord that the Angel might return and give them further instructions about this wholly unique circumstance, and especially their role as parents to this promised child. God answers Manoah’s prayer and before you know it, the Angel reappears.
Now we get to the key verse: Judges 13:12 “Then Manoah asked, “When your words come to pass, what will be the boy’s rule of life and mission?” Pretty reasonable I’d say. “We’re gonna have this special kid – spill the tea. what is to be his rule of life – and his mission? How do we prepare him for whatever it is God has in mind?”
Are you ready for the great revelation they are about to receive? Here it is in 13-14: “So the angel of the LORD answered Manoah, “Your wife is to do everything I told her. She must not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor drink any wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean. She must do everything I have commanded her.”
Did you get that? In case you missed it, let me put my finger on it.
In effect the Angel of The Lord said: “None of your business. Just do what I’ve already revealed to you.”
Here is the essence of Manoahism – always wanting to peek behind the curtain, to get inside information, perhaps (as in this case) even extra revelation – so that we know what to do about the future.
And the response is?: “Pay attention to what I have revealed, and leave what I haven’t – to me.”
We want increased revelation so we don’t really have to trust him with the unknowns. He wants us to live by faith, by believing and acting on what he HAS revealed, and then trusting him with the unknowns.
We want assurances about the darkness. He wants us to trust him in that he rules the darkness, and that he has given us the light we do need to fulfill what he’s called us to.
We want to know what’s going to happen tomorrow.
He says: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6:34)
Oh how much angst and foolishness we would avoid if we would repent of our Manoahism, and trust the Lord of today, tomorrow and eternity.
If we would but fully occupy ourselves with what he HAS revealed – we’d already have more than we can master. We wouldn’t go wrong. We wouldn’t try to force the future along. We would live with far more settled and peaceful hearts.
So for all of us Manoahs – and I count myself among you – may we hear and take to heart the wisdom so plainly displayed for us in this familiar passage.
We can trust him. So let’s leave the secret stuff to him.
“So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.” ESV Jos 11:23.
One of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life to wrap our heads around is: How much has changed, and how much hasn’t? We read passages like 2 Cor. 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” and we say to ourselves, “ALL things new? I still have so much of the old hanging on!” And confusion over this state can lead to times of near despair. You are not alone.
Fortunately, portions like the book of Joshua are meant – by means of their graphic descriptions of the invasion and conquering of the Canaan – to give us pictures of the Christian struggle as well.
So here, we have a pretty categorical statement: “Joshua took the whole land.” And if that’s all we read we think “wow! That’s it! It’s all done!” But in truth they were very, very far from “done” in terms of all God had called them to. Yes, they had entered the land. Yes, they had come to a place of dominance over the whole territory. Yes, they had rest from the necessary first invasion wars. But then we remember that the verse right before this one noted they had not been able to expel all of the Anakim – like those in Ashdod, Gaza and Gath; The very place where later, a descendant of the Anakim, Goliath of Gath would arise to challenge God’s armies. Nor have we read yet: Joshua 13:1 “Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.”
Well which is it? Had they taken the whole land, or was there “yet very much land to possess”? Yes! It is an issue of what has been called “the already, but not yet” principle.
The idea here isn’t that the territory was entirely free of Canaanites, or that every inch of land was fully occupied. Rather, the whole was under Israel’s control. This is the same with the Believer and indwelling sin. Christ has won all of the territory of “self” for us. We now live in it so to speak – but not all sins are gone. Not every area of life is fully subdued as it ought to be and one day will be. But by God’s grace, we have entered the land and the decisive victory has been fought – even though there is massive work to be done.
Don’t be discouraged or downhearted Christian – if you are Christ’s – all things are indeed new – but not as new as they one day will be. Keep at the work. Keep battling sin. Keep looking to and trusting Christ , for one day, unlike the Israelites, you WILL be fully conformed to the image of Christ. Already new, justified, but not yet glorified. But you WILL be! By God’s good grace.
Get rich schemes are anything but. They are contrary to God’s normative means of giving us prosperity WITH character. To want to be rich by means of a shortcut, is to reveal our greed. To want to waste our time in things which hold no true value – is to prevent our own selves from the very things we need and desire. These two always go hand in hand.
But this is not restricted to material things. It is just as true in spiritual matters. The one who will not apply him or herself to know the Word and seek God’s face will have a lean soul – period. We cannot ignore spiritual disciplines, and then hope to walk in the benefits of such as though they are somehow just dropped upon us from the sky. If we work hard at it, we’ll enjoy the fruit. If not, we will be impoverished.
Now the caution here against worthless pursuits can apply equally to those simply in pursuit of earthly riches, security, fame etc., and those who even as Christians pursue doctrine and spiritual experiences like hobbies.
I once knew a man, a good and earnest man, who loved the Lord and longed to teach His Word, but who also gave himself to countless hours trying to connect the Great Pyramid of Egypt to Biblical truth. Endlessly looking for hidden signs and symbols. Fascinated with arcane and supposed prophetic tie-ins. And in the meantime, paying less attention to understanding The Word better, and seeking to grow in the image of Christ. It all had the veneer of “spiritual” pursuit, but it ended in nothing of true value for the soul. In the end it was fruitless curiosity.
How many Believers today are immersed in seeking out secret conspiracies, shadow governments and hidden, nearly all-powerful cabals? Looking for secret prophetic knowledge. Investing all sorts of time, energy and angst prying out information they can ultimately do nothing about, and have no eternal, spiritual reward whatever.
How we need to re-calibrate our hearts and minds to be fixed on the truth of God’s Word, and anchored in His plans and purposes. Investing ourselves in the pursuit and building of His Kingdom. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Once we’ve mastered that, then maybe we can move on to curiosities of all sorts. But until then, let us be about knowing and pursuing the Father’s business.
Work with what God HAS given to you, rather than pining after and chasing what He hasn’t. There is fruitfulness in His appointments.
And there is unfathomable fruit and blessing in pursuits that have eternal benefits.
Seek Christ! Col. 2:1-3 “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
Jonathan Edwards: “There is perhaps no part of divinity attended with so much intricacy, and wherein orthodox divines do so much differ as stating the precise agreement and difference between the two dispensations of Moses and Christ.”
From our text, note the following:
A – The Law is good IF it is used LAWFULLY or rightly.
B – The Believer stands in a new RELATIONSHIP to law than they did prior to trusting Christ.
1. The Law must be used LAWFULLY – It must be used for what it was intended.
2. [The] law is not made for a righteous person – The primary use of the Law is NOT for the man who has been made righteous with the righteousness of Christ
BUT: [It IS made] for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,
3. The Believer is NOT “lawless” – Since the Law is NOT made for the righteousness man but for the lawless man – The Believer is NOT lawless, even though he is not “under” the Mosaic Law.
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
1 Peter 4:3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
Rom. 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
The Gospel is meant for: The restoration of God’s OWN holiness to the HEART of the Believer – as it is re-inscribed there by the Holy Spirit in regeneration and energized by the indwelling presence of the Spirit and is now the PRINCIPLE under which the Believer lives.
Believers are not constrained by externals as much as they are now motivated by new internals – We have a new – underlying inclination.
We are – to use Paul’s words in 2 Cor. 5:14 – Constrained by love
1 John 5:1 “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.”
The one who has been born again, loves the righteous and holy God they once rebelled against and ran from. They now see God’s righteousness as lovely, not distasteful. They love righteousness BECAUSE they love the righteous God who loved them.
But – Sure, I may now LOVE righteousness, but what exactly is my relationship to God’s Law?
And that IS the key word, RELATIONSHIP
The point is, that being born again and justified by His grace and indwelt by His Spirit – we now stand in a totally different relationship to the Law than we once did.
The Law didn’t change – WE DID!
The issue is one of a change of relationship.
THE LAW IS STILL EXACTLY THE SAME FOR THE LAWLESS – 1 Tim. 1:8
Illustration: Trespassing vs. Being a co-owner (or joint-heir)
While my parents were alive, I always knew that at any time, I could go to their house – and even if they weren’t home, I could raid the refrigerator, use the facilities, sack out on the couch, watch the TV and relax.
Now what is also true, is that I cannot do that just anywhere. If I go to stranger’s houses, the very same activities are in fact illegal and punishable by law.
If I become an heir, what did not belong to me now does – what attempting access to would once bring the charge of trespass, is now turned on its head. My relationship to it changed. I now have an entrance to the throne room of God which was once not mine to enter.
Illustration: NYS Driving age. Once I turned 16, the law that said I could not drive at 15, became the law that said I COULD drive. The law didn’t change, I did.
The Law is good IF it is used “lawfully”.
Classically – 3-Fold Purpose of the Law (Louis Berkhof) —
a. CIVIL: “The law serves the purpose of restraining sin and promoting righteousness. Considered from this point of view, the law presupposes sin and is necessary on account of sin. It serves the purpose of God’s common grace in the world at large.”
b. PEDAGOGICAL: “In this capacity the law serves the purpose of bringing man under conviction of sin, and of making him conscious of his inability to meet the demands of the law. In that way the law becomes his tutor to lead him unto Christ, and thus becomes subservient to God’s gracious purpose of redemption.”
c. DIDACTIC (or Normative): “The law is a rule of life for believers, reminding them of their duties and leading them in the way of life and salvation.” (Lutheran controversy)
Actually, while this is generally accepted, and nice and neat – it is nowhere near as full and complete as the Bible speaks.
The 7-Fold Purpose of the Law
The Bible itself articulates at least 7 reasons for the Law.
a. EXPOSES SIN / Rom. 3:20b: “since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
Rom. 5:20: “Now the law came in to increase the trespass”
Rom. 7:7 “Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”’”
In this way, it is PURELY DIAGNOSTIC – Like an X-Ray machine.
Like an X-Ray machine for the soul, it can show you the broken bone, but has no power to MEND the broken bone.
b. INSTRUCTS / Ex. 24:12 “The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”
In this way, the Law serves to help us know what God thinks about things – what He likes & dislikes, proscribes and warns against.
Looking at the 10 Words as ten revelations of our God Himself. Above everything else, it instructs us in a right view of God, self and life.
1 – God is God alone and must be recognized as such
2 – God is not to be reduced to an image, to anything tangible. It preserves His transcendence. Something desperately needed in our day too.
3 – God is not to be taken lightly – even in the use of His name
4 – God is to be worshipped (Calvin – Harmony of the Law – The object of this Commandment is that believers should exercise themselves in the worship of God; for we know how prone men are to fall into indifference, unless they have some props to lean on or some stimulants to arouse them in maintaining their care and zeal for religion.)
5 – Man is to be respected as created in God’s image – first with parents, and then with other authorities.
6 – Life is sacred before God. As created in His image, humankind, all members of the race are to be treated with dignity. None are to be simply disregarded, and in something like the case of abortion, as disposable.
7 – Sexual purity is required to love man.
8 – Man’s property is not to be violated.
9 – Man is not to sinned against even in the use of law.
10 – Contentment with God’s provision.
c. HUMBLES / Lev. 16:31 “It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.” (NAS95)
Whether we hold to a specific weekly “sabbath” or not, the principle remains the same: We need rest. We were created that way. And to ignore proper rest is to live apart from faith. It is outside the order He has created us to live in.
It reminds us that we are under His authority – not autocrats. In all places and at all times, He is the ultimate authority. And He need not give us reasons for His ordering of things. We are to trust that He is wisest and most loving and that He orders all things in life in accordance with His wisdom and love.
d. DECLARATIVE / Deut. 4:6-8 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?
When we set ourselves properly under His authority to guide our lives and choices, we live out the Gospel in a most tangible way to those who observe us, even if they do not recognize it as such.
e. IDENTIFICATION / Same as Above – It shows we’re God’s people. We listen to Him, cherish His words, and live by His precepts.
f. PROPHETIC / Col. 2:16-17 “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”
g. PROTECTIVE / Gal. 3:19 “Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.”
In this capacity, it is mainly protective against two things: The Wrath of God / Natural Consequences of our sins.
Also – Ga 3:24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
MUCH MORE – I want to suggest to you that due to our change in relationship to the Law, the Law may be used “lawfully” (in respect to him or herself) by the Believer in the following three ways.
Col. 2 – Due to the fact that the decrees against us have been removed out of the way (i.e. Nailed to His cross) THEREFORE we are no longer to be judged concerning Sabbath days etc. – BECAUSE – they were shadows of that which was to come (i.e. Christ) and now that the substance is here – we no longer occupy ourselves with the shadows.
When the Believer is confronted with the Law of God, his first response ought to be to look at it as “having received double” – for his sins against God.
An infinite debt stamped – PAID IN FULL!
When we consider the 10 Words (as well as other places) we have His payment placarded before us.
This is what Jesus fulfilled for us in His obedience.
And this is what Jesus paid the penalty for for our every infraction.
2. Christ’s Imputed Righteousness / Rom. 3:21-26 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Not only has my infinite debt been canceled – this is what has been deposited into my account!
I am righteous with the righteousness of Christ Himself!
2 Cor. 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Rom. 5:19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. What Christ has done which is imputed to me.
He deals with me as though Christ’s own righteousness were mine!
What an unspeakable comfort!
3. The Glorious Promise / 1 John 3:1-3 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
We will wake in His likeness
Those words: Thou shalt & Thou shalt not – are promises!
We can rightfully read them this way:
This is my promise, when I am done with you dear child you will –
love me with all your heart mind soul and strength and never have some other god before me.
I will preserve you from falling prey to any idols
You will not bear my name vainly – it will not be an empty thing to say you are God’s. To bear the name – Christian.
You will rest in the perfect rest of Christ’s completed work for ever.
You will honor your mother and father.
You will not murder any more.
You’ll never commit adultery again.
You will never steal.
You will never bear false witness against your brother or covert your neighbor’s wife or anything else he has.
Quotes:
Luther: we say that the law is good and profitable, but in his own proper use: which is, first to bridle civil transgressions, and then to reveal and to increase spiritual transgressions. Wherefore the law is also a light, which sheweth and revealeth, not the grace of God, not righteousness and life; but sin, death, the wrath and judgment of God. For, as in the mount Sinai the thundering, lightning, the thick and dark cloud, the hill smoking and flaming, and all that terrible shew did not rejoice not quicken the children of Israel, but terrified and astonished them, and shewed how unable they were, with all their purity and holiness, to abide the presence of God speaking to them out of the cloud: even so the law, when it is in his true sense, doth nothing else but reveal sin, engender wrath, accuse and terrify men, so that it bringeth them to the very brink of desperation. This is the proper use of the law, and here it hath an end, and it ought to go no further. Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 302.
Now the foolishness of man’s heart is so great, that when the law hath its office and terrified his conscience, he cloth not only not lay hold upon the doctrine of grace, but seeketh to himself more laws to satisfy and quiet his conscience. “If I live,” saith he, “I will amend my life. I will do this and that.” Here except thou do quite the contrary: that is, except thou send Moses away, with his law, and in these terrors lay hold upon Christ, who died for thy sins, there is no salvation for thee.
These things are easily said: but blessed is he which knoweth how to lay sure hold on them in distress of conscience, that is, which can say when sin overweighteth him, and the law accuseth and terrifieth him: What is this to me, O law, that thou accusest me, and sayest that I have committed many sins? Indeed I grant that I have committed many sins, yea and yet still do commit sins daily without number. This toucheth me nothing: I am now dead and cannot hear thee. Therefore thou talkest to me in vain, for I am dead unto thee. But if thou wilt needs dispute with me as touching my sins, get thee to my flesh and members my servants: teach them, exercise and crucify them, but trouble not me, not Conscience, I say, which am a lady and a queen, and have nothing to do with thee: for I am dead to thee, and now I live to Christ, with whom I am under another law, to wit the law of grace, which ruleth over sin and the law. By what means? By faith in Christ, as Paul declareth hereafter.
This sentence of Paul: “through the law I am dead to the law,” is full of consolation. Which if it may enter into a man in due season, and take sure hold in his heart with good understanding, it may so work, that it will make him able to stand against all dangers of death, and all terrors of conscience and sin, although they assail him, accuse him, and would drive him to desperation never so much. True it is, that every man is tempted: if not in his life, yet at his death. There, when the law accuseth him and sheweth unto him his sins, his conscience by and by saith: Thou hast sinned. If then thou take good hold of that which Paul here teacheth, thou wilt answer: I grant I have sinned. Then will God punish thee. Nay, he will not do so. Why, doth not the law of God so say? I have nothing to do with that law. Why so? Because I have another law which striketh this law dumb, that is to say, liberty. What liberty is that? The liberty of Christ, for by Christ I am utterly freed from the law. Therefore that law which is and remaineth a law to the wicked, is to me liberty, and bindeth that law which would condemn me; and by this means that law which would bind me and hold me captive, is now fast bound itself, and holden captive by grace and liberty, which is now my law; which saith to that accusing law: Thou shalt not hold this man bound and captive, or make him guilty, for he is mine; but I will hold thee captive, and bind thy hands that thou shalt not hurt him, for he liveth now unto Christ, and is dead unto thee.
John Bunyan: “Wherefore whenever thou who believest in Jesus, dost hear the law in its thundering and lightning fits, as if it would burn up heaven and earth; then say thou, I am freed from this law, these thunderings have nothing to do with my soul; nay even this law, while it thus thunders and roareth, it doth both allow and approve of my righteousness. I know that Hagar would sometimes be domineering and high, even in Sarah’s house and against her; but this she is not to be suffered to do, nay though Sarah herself be barren; wherefore serve it also as Sarah served her, and expel her out from thy house. My meaning is, when this law with its thundering threatenings doth attempt to lay hold on thy conscience, shut it out with a promise of grace; cry, the inn is took up already, the Lord Jesus is here entertained, and here is no room for the law. Indeed if it will be content with being my informer, and so lovingly leave off to judge me; I will be content, it shall be in my sight, I will also delight therein; but otherwise, I being now made upright without it, and that too with that righteousness, which this law speaks well of and approveth; I am not, will not, cannot, dare not make it my saviour and judge, nor suffer it to set up its government in my conscience; for by so doing I fall from grace, and Christ Jesus doth profit me nothing (Gal 5:1–5).
John Bunyan, The Trinity and a Christian (alternate Title: The Law and a Christian), vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2006), 388.
These closing chapters of Numbers find Israel at a pivotal place. Aaron’s priesthood has been transferred to his son, and Aaron has died. Moses is told to commission Joshua as his replacement. Major transitions are happening in the life of God’s people. Now we encounter Moses carrying out his last responsibilities – not the least of which we see here in 28:1. It begs a very big question.
Why all these laws, especially the daily service, reiterated and spelled out over and over? I mean, they already have all this – right? It has already been written out and explained more than once. What is going on here?
Justin Martyr in his dialog with Trypho makes the point that the reason why all of these things were pressed upon the Jews, was because of their sinfulness. He explained it this way: If God did not appoint such things, they would not naturally maintain to serve and worship him as he desired. In sinfulness, we always devolve down. Apart from such patterns built into our lives, the right honor and service to God is left to whims, fancies, tastes and then eventually – utter neglect. This is how God kept his name and presence alive in the world.
And so with us. We are not to adopt holy habits of reading and praying and public worship because God is pleased by mere activities. He doesn’t demand ritualistic service. We cultivate holy habits to counteract the downward gravitational pull of the remnants of indwelling sin. We have to weed the garden of our souls with regularity, or it will not be long before we neglect holy things altogether. We do not want to pursue legalism, but we MUST be watchful over the self-deception that we will maintain fidelity to him without such measures. It is not to earn his favor. It is to keep our hearts alive before him. It is Paul’s admonition 2 Tim. 1:6 to “fan into flame the gift of God which is within” us. Like the need to trim the lamps in the Tabernacle twice a day – so the light in us will grow dim quite quickly if we do not pay attention to it.
What is interesting here, is that the whole nation (“the people of Israel”) is charged with making sure the daily sacrificial duties which are to be carried out by the Levites – is done. It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure the Leadership does not abandon their main responsibilities. This then, even when by their own demands the Leadership is asked to pay attention to some other “needs” the Congregation might deem desirable. As congregants, we are to be vigilant that our ministers give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word. See: Acts 6:4.
We need the grace of Jesus’ death morning and night, weekly, monthly, and at special seasons throughout the year.
If we do not do this, we grow content in our sin, not recognizing the constant need for continual cleansing – for a perpetual dependence upon Christ and His atoning work. It is not as though we’ve been cleansed and go our way. We stay here, and live in the reality of it every minute. Such is our sinfulness, that even from morning till night, it escapes our view – and needs to be stimulated over and over and over with the utmost care.
What a warning that we cannot have “morning devotions” and then just our way. The memory will fade. The vividness will quickly wane.
Oh Father, forgive us! We do our holy “duty” and think little more of it after that. We are so prone to this horrid decline, and so lacking in careful, regular, incessant attention to it. And then we wonder why we sin at the rate we do in other things. Simply, because we are not paying attention to our actual need before you. You have provided a perpetual fountain of grace, and we take our sip and go our way and think we’re fine.
Let me be very clear at the outset here, that I speak for absolutely no one but myself in what follows.
1 – Rejoice: Whether you were a Charlie Kirk fan or not, it is right for us to rejoice that in his murder and memorial, many numbers were exposed to the Gospel and to contemplate its implications who had probably not done so before. This is a good thing, and we ought not minimize it in any way. God has used this opportunity in profoundly impactful ways.
Did many who spoke at his memorial articulate the Gospel well? No. Yet a number did. I am reminded of Paul’s comments to the Philippians when he wrote: “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. The former, however, preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains. What then is the issue? Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice. (Phil. 1:15–18, BSB)
Irrespective of the motives or defective presentations of the Gospel that were proffered – the Gospel did get preached.
No, that is not to be used as an excuse or an endorsement of poor articulation. It is to recognize God’s sovereign hand in using wondrously diverse means to make the Gospel known. We do really well to rejoice in that and what God might still do with it.
2 – Be Hopeful: It is right to be hopeful that the seeds of the Gospel however imperfectly sown can yet bring a great harvest of souls into the Kingdom.
A while back, a dear friend of mine and powerful co-laborer in the Gospel told me how in fact he was soundly converted to Christ through the preaching of one he knows now was a true heretic. How good is our God! Let us be truly hopeful that this occasion will yet yield tremendous results for the Kingdom.
In hearing accounts of how some were shaken and stirred by the murder and its aftermath I cannot but be hopeful. God works in all times, places and circumstances. Let us hope in Christ that there will be lasting results and not a mere temporary or quasi-revival like movement which will fade as quickly as it arose. Hope in how our God sovereignly moves.
3 – Be Prayerful: Pray that God magnifies the name of Jesus Christ in it all. Pray that those moved will find solid, Christ-centered churches to be planted in. Pray that the enemy’s attempts to distort the Gospel and turn this into a merely social, political or cultural movement be thwarted. Pray that Christ remain the focus, not men, not philosophies, not movements.
4 – Be Temperate: Just as spiritual growth in individuals is almost never the result of individual ecstatic experiences, neither is growth in Christ’s kingdom overall.
Just as there was only one death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, so there was only one Pentecost. We find our part in each, but they are not repeated.
There are certainly great pivotal moments in redemptive history – spiritual punctuations (if you will) like the Reformation. Notable course corrections. And Church history records many in different times and places. But such are anchored in the Church, not in the culture as the culture considered in itself. Certainly it will have cultural ramifications as more and more people are born into the Kingdom and live like it.
But a culture is not an entity. It is a composite. It is comprised of the prevailing nature of those who inhabit it.
Jumping on bandwagons only means we get carried away.
Following Christ is an entirely different thing. As individual Christians apply themselves more and more to growing in the image of Christ through the Word and the Spirit – that will influence our world more than anything any “movement” can ever do.
5 – Avoid Pronouncements: May there be something of true revival occurring right now in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s murder? For sure. But when you survey the great revivals in history, they typically are not marked by blending them with political movements. Though there is no question some sought to capitalize on them for those purposes. Such revivals may have had great impacts on politics and social reforms – but those impacts were the result of conversions, not hybrids in their nature. I will admit that this is a concern which looms largely in my mind. The aftermath of the revivalism of Charles Finney proves my point. Sweeping moral reforms followed his methods and preaching. But as one who lives in the “burned over district” I can tell you that in time, such breeds a Gospel resistance and hardness that is worse than what came before.
The entire Northeast, which was the hub of the Great Awakening is now the most Gospel resistant region in the United States today.
Is this a revival? Maybe yes, maybe no.
Is this a true “turning point” in America? Maybe yes. Maybe no.
Christ did not die either to create or preserve Americanism. He died to save the lost souls of men, and reconcile them to the Father through his cross.
If we want a more Christianly culture, we need more people truly born again by the Gospel. Anything else will prove to be a curse in time.
Avoid the “this is it” kind of thinking and talking. We do not yet know what this is or what the outcome will be. Don’t pronounce it to be anything, until we see where it goes.
Encourage what is Christ-centered and Christ honoring, reject what isn’t.
6 – Be Discerning: Conversion to conservatism is not the same as conversion to Christ.
When social and cultural reforms emerge from more people authentically serving Christ – amen and amen! But those need to be seen as by-products, not the goals. Reconciliation to God through the person and work of Jesus Christ is the end game. We dare not lose sight of this. But even in great revivals, such social and cultural reforms in every case (as near as I can discern) prove to be temporary. That is all they can be. Only reconciliation through the Cross is permanent.
If a worldview which is more closely parallel to true Christian values emerges in the general populace, glory to God! That is a good thing. It blesses many. As afar as it goes. But if a true apprehension of Christ is not at the foundation, it will grow corrupt rapidly and become a false Gospel unto itself.
Over the years I’ve interacted with a number of people who have become sober through programs like AA. Is it good that they are sober? Of course! At the same time, in deeper conversation with some of these, they confuse sobriety with salvation itself. And this is a deception even worse than before.
Jesus notes: “When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first.” (Luke 11:24–26, BSB)
If we accept the reading of the Gospels that posits 2 cleansings of the Temple in this light, we find a most important principle: Mere outward reforms, even done in perfect righteousness, if not accompanied by the indwelling of a new Spirit, will leave the end condition of the one initially “swept” bound even worse.
A merely better moralized America will in the end, become a deception of the worst kind of bondage.
7 – Be Biblical: Just because something can be built on a Biblical passage, does not mean that is what the Bible actually teaches and emphasizes.
Prime example: Baptism for the dead in Mormonism, or foot washing as a sacrament.
No doubt some of the people in Elijah’s day thought the showdown on Carmel was “it!” Now its is happening (whatever “it” is.) Now there will be a huge turn around in the nation. But it wasn’t so.
When even Elijah saw that was not so, his heart fainted. He was no better than his father’s he said. But of course, God never asked him to be. So he is shown in his cave experience, the answer to the crying spiritual need of God’s people was not in mighty, miraculous demonstrations on the mountain. Not in the destruction of the false prophets. Not in earth shattering movements (earthquakes), not in sweeping winds of change (the whirlwind), not in the fire of great fervor, but still and only in the Word of God speaking to the hearts of man – preserved by his sovereign providence. Israel didn’t change for all of that.
The bottom line in it all must be – Jesus Christ. His plans. His purposes. His Kingdom propagated and built upon the preaching of his Gospel. And his kingdom is not of this world. If it were – as he himself said to Pilate: ““My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.” (John 18:36, BSB) That hasn’t changed.
Our pastor Matt Fletcher is currently preaching through the book of Esther. As we gathered in his home last evening for our “Growth Group” – our other “Matt” who led the discussion, had us consider Ps. 73 in light of the conflict between Mordecai and Haman in Esther 3.
Considering that powerful Ps. penned by Asaph, it drew me back to muse on the grand themes it explores, and jogged my mind once again. Below is the Psalm couched in verse. I pray it is blessing to you as you ponder it afresh today.
Surely the Lord our God is good Good to all his people Good to the mighty and the strong Good to the weak and feeble
But as for me, I almost fell Unsure my steps near stumbled My eyes were fixed on the arrogant On the wicked never humbled
It seemed to me they feared not death They dined, their hearts content And free from lives of burdened care Toward wickedness all bent
They wore their pride like jewelry And violence like robes Prosperous in iniquity With every blessing clothed
Their sinful thoughts ran unrestrained They mock and speak with scorn And threaten any they oppose Oppress, harass and warn
They speak against the heav’nly things Tongues strutting o’er the earth And justify among themselves Their careless life of mirth
In wickedness they dare to ask Can God know what we do? Do any think he knows our ways? He deigns our sins to view?
Considering this spectacle My heart was led to doubt Why had I walked in righteousness And sought my sins to rout?
What sense was there in keeping pure? Why turn from sin’s dark stains? Why suffer godly discipline? Why bother taking pains?
And yet I knew if thus I spoke That others may be harmed If by my doubts they strayed from God And by deceits were charmed
My mind still reeling, ill at ease Confused and not at rest I went to seek the face of God Would he my doubts address?
And there in prayer before his throne At last my eyes did see ‘Tis not the present circumstance That frames what’s yet to be
For these who walk without a care Forgetting God is there Are surely in a slippery place How will they finally fare?
The day will come when all are judged Both great and small will stand To give an answer for their lives Did they love God’s commands?
How suddenly they’re laid to waste All who reject God’s rule In judgment’s terrors swept away At last be proved the fool
How then my heart was pained within How senseless I had been With no more reason than a beast Deceived by my own sin
And then The Spirit reassured God’s hand held fast in mine His truth is truest counsel sure One day, with him I’ll dine
Oh Lord, whom do I have but you? In heaven or on earth? It’s true my heart and flesh may fail But you are all my worth
Those far from you will surely die The wicked you’ll destroy But you are my true refuge Lord Proclaiming you - my joy!
ResponsiveReiding 